Vacuum feed system



May 27,1924. 1,495,346

I G. C.,NEL$ON VACUUM FEED SYSTEM Filed June 14 1920 Patented May 27, 1924.

GUSTAVE c. NELSON, or MOLINE, ILLINoIs, AssIeNoR r0 T LE BORG 8c BECK COM- PANY, or MOLINE, ILLINoIs, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

VACUUM FEED SYSTEM.

Application filed June 14, 1920. Serial No. 388,754.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAvn C. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Feed Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to liquid fuel feed systems for explosive engines and it is particularly useful as an accessory to an automobile or truck engine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means of simple and substantial construction, and comprising comparatively few parts, for connection with the fuel supply tank and the intake manifold of the engine whereby a constant and regular gravity fuel feed to the engine will always be maintained.

Another object is toprovide a single sensitively operating means for quickly opening the suction and closing the air vent for the receiving chamber so that a partial vacuum may be created iii said chamber to induce a flow of fuel thereinto from the supply tank and rapidly replenish the fuel supply therein,and for quickly closing said suction and opening the air vent to permit the fuel to flow from the receiving chamber into the feed chamber and thereby maintain a constant supply of fuel in the feed chamber.

A further object is to provide a float operated cut-oil for the vacuum connection and the receiving chamber air vent which is caused to close quickly and to open quickly independently of the float control.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a freely operating float so that it will always respond to variations in the level of the liquid fuel in the receiving chamber; to provide a cut-off disk for the vacuum connection and the receiving chamber air vent which is free to revolve and thereby keep the seats clean; to produce a revolving movement of the float and cut-off disk through the medium of the inflowing fuel supply; to avoid exhausting the supply of fuel in the feed chamber to the engine by providing for ample and constant replenishment of the fuel supply in the receiving chamber and its transference to the feed chamber; to prevent the fuel from being drawn from the receiving ,chamber by the suction from the engine; to avoid delicate connections and complicated operating parts; and to insure a constant and regulated feed to the engine. I v. I

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a selected embodiment of the invention in a vertical sectional viewand referring thereto 1 is a tank having a top 2 and a bottom 3 with an intermediate partition dividing the tank into a receiving chamber 5 and a feed chamber 6. For convenience in manufacturing I may make the partition 4: as a bottom for the receiving chamber with the feed chamber a separate part secured to said bottom, as shown. A conduit 7 extends from the bottom ofthe receiving chamber into the feed chamber and it is provided at its lower end with a flap valve 8. A tube 9 is mounted in the bottom 4 and top 2 of the receiving chamber and projects 'therethrough to provide a. constantly open air vent for the feed chamber. A float 10 is carried by a sleeve -l1' which fits loosely upon the'tube9 and is pro vided at its upper end with a cut-off disk 12'which is adapted to'seat against the nipple 13 which projects into the receiving chamber from the top 2 and communicates with and forms part of the vacuum produc; ing connection 14. The nipple 13 is connected with the intake manifold of the engine by a pipe (not shown) suitably engaged with the connection 14:. A conduit 15, is secured in and projects through the top 2 and forms an air vent for the receiving chamber, this conduit being provided with an upturned inner end forming a nipple 16 7 located beneath the cut-off disk, 12 and on the opposite side of the tube 9, fromthe nipple 13. A connection 17 in one side v of the receiving chamber, opposite theupper portion of the float, .is adapted to be connected by a pipe (not shown) in a suitable manner to the fuel supply tank usually lo? cated at the rear'of the can A connection 18 in the bottom 3 of the tank is adapted to be connectedby a feed: pipe (not shown) with the carburetor. to deliver .fuel thereto; My inventionprovides an apparatus of very simple construction which is free from.

nipple after the delicate and complicated parts and in which the movable parts are reduced to a float operated cut-off and a valve. This simplicity of construction not only enables the ap paratus to be made in a substantial form at comparatively low cost but it reduces to the minimum and practically eliminates entirely all liability of the apparatus wearing out or getting out of order. An important feature of the invention is the quickly operating cut-off disk which has a very slight limit of movement between the vacuum and the air vent nipples 13 and 16. The float operates freely on the tube 9 and its control of the cut-off is supplemented by the suc tion of the engine so that the buoyant action of the fuel in the receiving chamber is not entirely depended upon for the operation of the cut-off. Nhen the cut-off disk ap proaches close to the nipple 13 the suction of the engine will lift the disk and the float and close the nipple and when the suction is thus cut off the inflow of fuel from the supply tank ceases. This utilization of the suction to effect the cut-off when the float has lifted the cut-off disk in adjacent relation to the nipple 13 avoids the necessity for de pending entirely upon the level of the liquid in the receiving chamber to effect the cutoff and also prevents any fluttering action of the cut-off valve which might result therefrom. And the suction also holds the cut off disk in operative engagement with the level of the liquid has lowered beyond the point where it will, through the medium of the float, hold the cut-off disk against the nipple, so that when the disk is released from the suction nipple 13 by the weight of the float, sleeve and disk, it will quickly .drop into engagement with and close the air vent nipple 16. Thus the disk is caused to operate quickly in both di rections and fluttering action of the disk is entirely avoided.

The float sleeve is loosely mounted on the tube 9, which forms a guide for the float and disk, so that it will operate freely and easilv under the influence of the liquid in the receiving chamber in any service position of the tank. The float and the cut-off valve disk and connecting sleeve are free to revolve on the tube 9 so that, as I have found in commercial use of the invention, the upper and lower faces or seats of the cutoff valve disk are kept clean and capable of tightly closing the nipples 18 and 16. This revolving movement of the float and disk is induced by the natural agitation of the liquid in the receiving chamber and by the flow of the liquid fuel thereunto and against the float through the connection 17. This manner of loosely mounting the cutbff valve disk also enables it to find its seat and seat squarely and properly in any service position of the tank against the nipples 18 and 16 regardless of any minor imperfections of workmanship or in the adjustment of parts.

Assuming a sufficient supply of fuel in the feed chamber and supply pipe therefrom to the carburetor to start the engine and the engine started, the air vent 15 is closed by the valve disk and suction from the intake manifold soon creates sufficient vacuinn in the receiving chamber to induce a flow of liquid fuel through connection 17 into the receiving chamber. When the level of the fuel in the receiving chamber rises sufficiently to lift the float the valve disk is quickly unseated from nipple 16 and seated against nipple 13. Air is thus admitted to the receiving chamber through vent 1.5 and. the suction being shut ofi by the valve disk, the fuel immediately flows from the receiving chamber by gravity into the feed chamher. Then the float lowers, shifting the valve disk to open the vacuum nipple l3 and closing air vent nipple 16, and flap valve 8 closes as the suction withdraws air from the receiving chamber, and the latter is again filled with fuel.

I have found in practical experience that the fuel feed systems now in general use sometimes fail on long or steep rip-grades because the receiving chamber does not fill fast enough to maintain a supply in the feed chamber. In the practical use of. my inven tion I have found that these diflicultics are entirely eliminated because of the free action of the float and cut-off valve, the rapid operation and quick movement of this valve, and the complete closing of the air vent =iipple 16 coincident with the opening of the suction nipple 13. This is an important feature of the invention and one which 1 consider highly important in the art because 2:" promotes the efficiency of fuel feed systems of this general type and avoids a very serious difliculty and disadvantage to which they have heretofore been subject.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that my invention may be embodied in other forms than the selected form herein illustrated and I reserve the right to make all such changes in the form, construction, proportion and arimigement of parts as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims. A

I claim:

1. In a vacuum feed system, a tank hav ing a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication be tween said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving cl'iamber. a vent tube for the receiving chamber a float. and a cut-off disk connected rigidly to saidfloat and guided on said tube and adapted to engage and close said vacuum connection.

2.. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, a vent tube for the receiving chamber, and a revoluble cutoff disk axially disposed at one side of said vacuum connection and guided on said tube and adapted to engage and close said vacuum connection.

3. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, a vent tube for the receiving chamber, and a float operated revoluble cut-off disk axially disposed at one side of the vacuum connection and guided on said tube and having a flat face to engage and close said connection.

4. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, a guide within the receiving chamber, a float slidably and revolubly mounted on the guide, and a cut-off disk rigidly connected movable with the float and adapted to engage and close said vacuum connection.

5. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, a vent tube connected with the feed chamber and extending through the receiving chamber and the top thereof, and a float operated valve disk guided on said vent tube and adapted to engage and close said vacuum connection. 7

6. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a liquid fuel receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, a vent tube for the feed chamber projecting through the receiving chamber and the top thereof at one side of the vacuum connection, a float slidably and revolubly mounted on said vent tube, and a cut-off disk rigid with the float and slidably and revolubly mounted on the vent tube to engage and close said vacuum connection.

7 In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, an air vent for the receiving chamber, and a float operated cut-ofl' disk operating alternately to close said con nection and vent.

8. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, an air vent for the receiving chamber, and a cut-off disk operating between said connection and vent to-close the same alternately.

9. In a vacuum feed systenna tank hav ing a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to said receiving chamber, anair vent for the receiv ing chamber, and a revoluble, cut-ofl disk operating between said connection and vent to close the same alternately.

10. In a vacuum feed system, a tank comprising a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to the receiving chamber comprising a nipple projecting inward from the top of said chamber, an air vent for the receiving chamber comprising a nipple within said chamber, a cut-off disk to engage said nipples and close said connection and vent alternately, a float for operating said disk, and a guide for the float located between said nipples.

11. In a vacuum feed system, a tank comprising a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection to the receiving chamber, an air vent for the receiving chamber, a float operated cut-off disk for closing said connection and vent alternately, and a supply inlet connection located in the side of said receiving chamber opposite said float.

12. In a vacuum feed system, a tank comprising a receiving chamber and a feed chamber, a valved communication between said chambers, a vacuum producing connection including a nipple opening into said receiving chamber, an air vent including a nipple opening into said receiving chamber, a float in said receiving chamber, a guide for said float, and a cut-off disc carried by said float adapted to engage said nipples alternately.

13. In a vacuum feed system, a tank comprising a receiving chamber and a feed cham-= her, a valved communication between said chambers, a float in said receiving chamber, a guide for said float, a vacuum producing connection including a nipple opening into said receiving chamber adjacent to said guide, an air vent including a nipple opening into said receiving chamber and spaced from said vacuum producing connection, and a cut-off disc carried by said float and adapted to engage said nipples alternately.

14. In a vacuum feed system, a tank having a receiving chamber, a vacuum produc ing connection to said receiving chamber opening downward therein, an air vent for the receiving chamber opening upward therein, and a valve operating between said the top of said chamber, an air vent r'or the connection and vent to close the same alterreceiving chamber comprising a hook shaped nately. nipple secured to the top of the receiving 10 15. In a vacuum feed system, a tank havchamber and opening upward therein, and 5 ing a receiving chamber, a vacuum produca valve operating between said nipples to a ing connection to said receiving chamber close the same alternately.

comprising a nipple projecting inward from GUSTAVE G. NELSON. 

